Where is this industry going?
I know microsoft have completely fumbled for like 10 years now, but we are in a situation where you can't do anything but a "guaranteed" successful game...then if those games don't land you're basically dead.
How can we have an industry where you can't afford to take the slightest of risks in the AA or AAA space.
MS and (to a lesser extent) Sony put themselves in this unique position.
MS spent too much money on game budgets, and acquisitions to the point where they are forced to becoming more and more risk adverse in order to turn an actual profit. Then there's the Gamepass effect which has effectively killed their physical sales.
They also have shitty studio management and don't value talent retention so they are woefully inept at putting out consistent quality titles.
Also they are paying consultants to let unwanted DEI crap infect their games which is almost like paying to make your game sell worse.
Notice how Nintendo has none of these problems, because they know how to budget properly, value studio management and talent retention and aren't bother with turning their entertainment products into political agenda vessels.